Stropharia Ambigua

Posted by Elmer 12/21/12 - - - - - - - Scroll Down to See the Discussion

Elmer: This is a mushroom I found yesterday besides a neighborhood pathway under Douglas fir.
The cap is viscid, the gills are adnate, the spore print is very dark brown or black.
The spores are elliptical 6 to 7 by 8 to 11 micron.
My guess Hebeloma mesophaeum.

Dick B: Hebeloma have yellow to grayish brown spores that are much lighter that yours.
Try looking in the genera with purple brown to black spores on your Easy Key chart.

Elmer: Thanks Dick, As I look at the spore print again,
I realize that the spore print is more black than brown.
Everything seem to match Stropharia.
Maybe even Stropharia Ambigua; however,
there do not seem to be any veil remnants on the edge of the cap. Dick B: We always need to consider the effects of weather
when you compare mushrooms to descriptions.

Elmer: Are you suggesting that the veil remnants could have been washed away?

Dick: You might think the material on the underside of the cap
that showed in one of your pictures could be a mold or hypomyces
but it might also suggest that
the same material might have been present around the edge of the cap
as veil remnants before the rain washed it away.
Just for your information I don't ever recall
seeing a Stropharia that was recognizable with a hypomyces attacking it.